Conventional telecommunication systems designed to route across nodes, such as a mobile ad hoc network (MANET), determine routes using proactive link-state routing protocols, such as Optimized Link State Routing (OLSR) protocol, which is a layer 3 IP routing protocol optimized for mobile ad hoc networks. OLSR uses Hello and topology control messages to discover peers and exchange information of topology to peers so that routes for communications are immediately provided when needed.
OLSR does not advertise all links between nodes, but advertises only the links to neighbors designated as multipoint relays (MPRs). Nodes select MPRs such that there exists a path to each of its 2-hop neighbors via a node selected as an MPR. OLSR updates information of links states by continuously exchanging topology data often enough to make sure that the database does not remain unsynchronized for extended periods of time.
Links are determined up or down depending upon whether a number of Hello packets have been received recently. In determining link quality the OLSR routing daemon uses the packet loss rate as the only metric to evaluate quality of a backhaul link.
In wireless networks, where links often exhibit intermediate rates of packet loss, conventional link quality assessments do not work well. Additionally, conventional link quality assessments do not provide an adequate solution for mobile telecommunication systems, including mobile base stations. Conventional proactive link-state routing protocols do not provide an adequate solution to assessing quality of a backhaul link or finding a best backhaul link for communications across a mobile ad hoc network topology.